Frequently Asked Questions

What Makes The Nielsen Environmental E-School Training Programs Different from the Rest?

You'll Learn From the Experts

All of our E-Modules and E-Courses are instructed by the principals of The Nielsen Environmental Field School, David M. Nielsen, C.P.G., C.G.W.P., P.Hg. and Gillian L. Nielsen, C.E.S., C.G.W.M.S.. Together, they have nearly 8 decades of practical environmental field experience and training experience. They are seasoned environmental professionals who have been in the forefront of environmental education for more than 35 years each and they have taught more than 5000 environmental professionals from around the world over their careers. You can be confident that your instructors know their subject matter inside and out, and they know how to convey it to you in the most effective manner possible. You can learn more about their experience by clicking here.

David and Gillian have earned many prestigious awards within the environmental industry for their work in the area of technical standards development, significant editorial contributions to peer-reviewed professional journals, and contributions to the environmental industry. In addition, they have authored a number of technical papers and chapters in several top-selling books on subjects including environmental site characterization, ground-water monitoring, ground-water sampling and environmental applications of drilling and direct-push technology.

You Can be Assured of Valuable, Up-to-Date, Unbiased Content

Each E-Module and each E-Course provides detailed state-of-the-science technical content based upon the results of current scientific research, internationally accepted standard methods, and the expertise and extensive practical experience of the instructors. E-Modules are approximately 40 to 90 minutes in length, and consist of lecture material supplemented with field video clips to illustrate points made in the lecture part of the module. All sessions are designed to provide you with information on the latest tools, technologies, field practices and methodologies that you can use on the job immediately. We provide you with valuable insight regarding the use of a variety of field equipment, and we use the best and most up-to-date equipment possible in these modules. We cover field equipment calibration, operation and use in generic terms, without emphasizing manufacturer-specific details, which allows you to apply the methods we teach, even if you use different equipment.

You Will Earn a Completion Certificate and CEUs

After successful completion of an E-Module or E-Course, you will earn either an E-Module Completion Certificate and 1 to 1.5 CEUs or an E-Course Completion Certificate along with anywhere from 15 to 36 CEUs depending upon the E-Course. This certificate is issued by The Nielsen Environmental Field School, an industry-respected training company, with a sterling reputation backed by more than a thousand testimonials by past students. All Certificates are signed by the instructor(s) of the E-Module or the E-Course you take and will be e-mailed to you following the training session.

You Will Save Time and Money With E-School Training

Traveling to a remote location for training can be expensive and time-consuming. Travel costs (including airfare, hotel, per diem, etc.) are constantly rising, and traveling to and from a remote course location consumes valuable time and takes you away from your office responsibilities – sometimes for a week or more. The Nielsen Environmental E-School’s system allows you to take E-Modules on-line one at a time, at your own pace and at a low cost, or E-Courses that can be completed within a very reasonable time frame (30 days). This makes it possible for you to custom fit your training to your time and budget constraints.

How Do I Sign Up for an E-School Module or an E-Course and What Happens Next?

To sign up for an E-Module or E-Course, you must first log-in on the web site home page and create a user account. After you have created your account, you will receive an e-mail with a link (check your e-mail and SPAM) which you click on to activate your account (this is part of the program's security system). After you have activated your account, you will have full access to the E-School curriculum and can register for any available E-Module or E-Course. You are considered to be the registered user for the account.

To enroll in a single E-Module or to take an E-Course, registration can be completed using our convenient and secure on-line enrollment system. The system is designed to accept creditcard payments only (Visa, MasterCard or American Express) -- sorry, no debit cards, purchase orders, checks or other forms of payment are accepted. Pre-payment of E-Module or E-Course registration fees is required before taking the E-Module or E-Course of your choice.

After payment has been received for your training session, you will have immediate access to the E-Module or E-Course you have selected. E-Modules and E-Courses are formatted as view-only video presentations and cannot be downloaded or printed due to copyright protection laws.

As the registered user, only you will be able to earn a Completion Certificate and CEUs. For those who choose to take an E-Course leading to Professional Certification, only the registered user will qualify for participation in the Certification Program. If your colleagues want to sign up to take an E-Module or E-Course, we can accomodate them in our Group Discount Program. Visit the Group Discount Program page for details and to download a Group Discount Program Enrollment Form.

No special computer equipment is required, and no land lines are required to take any of our E-Modules or E-Courses. All E-Modules and E-Courses are mobile-device friendly. You do need to have access to the Internet with a recommended speed of 10 Mbps or more to avoid buffering during video playback.

If I Have Trouble Registering or Paying For, Accessing, or Completing an E-Course, Can I Have the E-School Set Up and Manage My Account, Register Me For and Arrange Payment For, and Guide Me Through the E-Course?

Yes, we are happy to help out in any way possible! However, because our E-Course prices are based on your being able to follow our on-line instructions and complete all of these tasks without our input, we will apply an administrative fee for conducting these activities for you. The fee will vary based on what level of involvement you want us to have.

Will I Get a Receipt for My Payment After I Register for an E-Course or E-Module?

Yes, you will! However, receipts do not come from us -- they are generated by our e-commerce system at the time of the transaction and e-mailed to you at the e-mail address you provided during the transaction. So, please look in your e-mail in-box and your spam folder for your receipt. Unfortunately, we do not receive a copy of your receipt, and we cannot recreate a receipt.

If I Purchase an E-Course or E-Module and Change My Mind or Have an Issue that Requires I Postpone or Cancel, What is Your Refund Policy?

Because of the way our e-commerce system is configured with our Learning Management System (LMS), after you pruchase access to an E-Course or E-Module, your purchase cannot be refunded. So, please be sure of your purchase before it is processed by our system. In lieu of a refund, your options are to: 1) transfer your registration to a colleague; or 2) postpone the start date of the E-Course you registered for until your situation allows you to begin the E-Course. In both cases, you must contact us directly by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at 575-532-5535 (Mountain time) to make arrangements to transfer or reschedule your course. Our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

After I Register for an E-Module or E-Course, How Long Do I Have to Complete the Training?

If you register for a single 40- to 90-minute E-Module, you will have 24 hours to complete it. You will be able to view the E-Module twice at any time convenient to you during that time period. The time you spend viewing the E-Module is monitored by the secure E-School system. No time extensions are available for those taking E-Modules, so please be sure to plan your time accordingly.

If you register for an E-Course, you will have 30 days to complete the training. You will be able to view any individual E-Module included in the E-Course twice at any time convenient to you during that time period. The time you spend viewing each E-Module in the E-Course is monitored by the secure E-School system. If, for some reason, you are unable to complete the course within the 30 days you are given, you may purchase additional time from within your E-School account, on a weekly basis for a nominal fee. Sorry, there are no complementary extensions provided for any reason. To purchase additional time, simply reply to the automated e-mail sent to you when your access to the E-Course expires.

If I Choose to Take an E-Course, Can I Earn Professional Certification under the International Certification Program for Environmental Samplers and Specialists (ICPESS)?

Yes you can! To accommodate our students, particularly International students and regulatory agency staff, we have designed the E-School sessions to make it possible to earn one or more Professional Certifications. To earn any of the five available ICPESS Certifications, you must complete the requisite E-Course (refer to the Certification Programpart of this web site for details) and take and pass the required examinations, which are administered electronically on-line by our Learning Management System at various points during the E-Course. After you complete the E-Course and pass the examinations, the next step is to submit an Application for Certification, which, if approved by the ICPESS Review Board, results in awarding your Certification and your inclusion in our on-line International Registry of Certified Environmental Samplers and Specialists.

If I Plan on Taking an E-Course with the Option of Earning Professional Certification, What are the Rules?

First, be sure you qualify for the Certification Program. You can find out if you do by visiting the "Program Requirements" page under the Certification Program drop-down menu. If you determine that you qualify, simply register for the E-Course that corresponds to the Certification you want to earn, and begin the course. You will have 35 days of access to the course, during which time you must view all E-Modules that comprise the E-Course in their prescribed order and in their entirety (our LMS permits us to monitor your progress toward completing your E-Course). If you fail to view all modules completely, our LMS will not permit you to take the Certification exams, and you will not be awarded a Course Completion Certificate. If you require more than 35 days to completely view all modules, you may purchase additional access time from within your E-School account, on a weekly basis for a modest fee. Sorry, there are no complementary extensions provided for any reason.

During your E-Course you will be required to take exams that are administered electronically on-line by our Learning Management System. Timing of the Certification exams varies with the E-Course and is based on subject matter (see the Certification Exams page for details). Each exam consists of 40 multiple-choice and true/false questions; you will have 60 minutes to complete each exam. The exams are graded electronically and the grades immediately reported to you and to us. If you do not pass an exam on the first try (by scoring at least 70%), you will be allowed to re-take the exam once. If you do not pass that exam on the second try, you will be allowed to continue taking the remainder of the E-Modules that comprise the E-Course and earn your Course Completion Certificate.

If you do complete the E-Course and pass all exams, you will be permitted to submit an Application for Certification, which requires documenting your educational and work history. Additional information on this process can be found under the Certification Program drop-down menu.

Are E-Courses Approved for Continuing Education Credits (CECs) by Any State Licensing Programs for Environmental Professionals?

Yes! The following state licensing programs have approved all of our E-Courses for CECs for the environmental professionals who are part of their programs:

Other state programs have also approved our E-Courses for CECs. The number of CECs approved for each course differs by program, so check with the individual programs to determine the credit you can claim for the E-Course of your choice. We haven't yet submitted our individual E-Modules for approval.

If I Register for an E-Course, Will I Receive a Copy of the Course Study Guide That Corresponds to the Course?

Study Guides contain hard copies of all of the PowerPoint presentations used in each E-Course, along with supporting materials and extensive lists of references on each E-Course topic. For those registered to take an E-Course, The Nielsen Environmental E-School makes Study Guides available; Study Guides are not available to those taking individual E-Modules or to anyone not registered for an E-Course. For those taking an E-Course with the intent of earning Professional Certification, the cost for the Study Guide is included in your E-Course registration fee. If you are not seeking Professional Certification, but want to take an E-Course, a Study Guide can be purchased for a modest fee during the on-line registration process. Please note that Study Guides can only be shipped directly to the student registered for the E-Course - we cannot ship to alternate persons or addresses for legal and insurance reasons.

If you decide you would like a Study Guide after you have already registered for an E-Course, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call us at (575) 532-5535 (Mountain time) to order the corresponding Study Guide. Your Study Guide will be shipped to you via Federal Express, and should arrive within 3 to 5 days (even to International destinations).

During the on-line registration process, please be sure to select the correct shipping option (whether 1: shipping to the continental US, AK or HI; or 2: shipping to an international destination) to avoid delays in shipping or additional charges for shipping.

If I am Already Certified, Can I Take an E-Module or E-Course and Earn CEUs Toward Renewing My Certification or Earning an Additional Certification?

Yes! Our Certified Professionals can take individual E-Modules (as long as they haven't already taken the module - you can't claim CEU credit for the same module twice) or E-Courses to earn the CEUs needed to maintain their ICPESS certification (remember, you need 8 CEUs every year) or to earn an additional certification. Continued for all renewals....... if you take a Nielsen Environmental E-School E-Course and earn more than 8 hours of CEUs, you can carry over the excess hours to apply to the next year's renewal. This policy does not apply to excess hours earned by taking courses offered by other providers.

Bonus! If you are already Certified and are current in your dues, you are eligible for a 10% discount on any E-Module or E-Course offered by The Nielsen Environmental E-School.

I Work for a Large Company or Agency and Would Like to Make This E-Training Accessible to Multiple Staff. Do you Have a Group Discount?

Yes, we do! We understand that many large organizations have in-house training requirements for their staff. Our E-School course catalog contains many E-Modules and E-Courses that cover areas of interest to environmental staff from large private- and public-sector organizations. To participate in the group program and receive group discounts, your group must be 5 or more people. Group discounts are 20% off individual E-Modules or E-Courses -- you may sign up your staff for either option, or both options if you wish. For very large groups (more than 50 people), we prepare quotes on an individual group basis, so contact us today to get more information. We will need to discuss a number of specific details with you to structure an E-School program that will work for your staff. Click here to download your Group Discount Program Enrollment Form today!

What are the System Requirements for Viewing E-Modules or E-Courses?

We stream our videos from a high-definition content streaming service called Vimeo. To ensure that you can view the videos, please make sure that you can access videos streamed from Vimeo.com. If your place of employment has blocked access to this service, you must ask them to lift the restriction to view the videos. For best results, in particular to minimize slow buffering causing delayed access to our videos, your internet speed should be at least 10 Mbps, and you should close all other applications on your computer or tablet.

That is easy! Sign up to join our growing list of people on our E-School Notification List. You will have the fast track to updates on on-line E-Module and E-Course availability, and periodic specials. If you need a question answered now – send us an e-mail!